


Umbra Memorias

by Savvi93



Category: EXO, Kpop - Fandom, SHINee, nuest
Genre: Demons, Drama, M/M, Multi, Mythology - Freeform, Romance, Smut, Supernatural - Freeform, Suspense, jongin - Freeform, jongkey - Freeform, sexing, taekai - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-03-20
Updated: 2015-03-28
Packaged: 2018-03-18 19:03:15
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 13,770
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3580473
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Savvi93/pseuds/Savvi93
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In a world where even Buddha and the Christian God were nothing more than forgotten stories, humanity's moral compass was on a slow path to complete destruction. As a Reaper’s companion Taemin, and the other humans like him, were trained daily so they were always prepared for the next monster the human soul would manifest in to.</p><p>The more cruel, murderous, and sadistic they were in life, the more it twisted their soul into something that was truly demonic and unrecognizable. They may have been trapped in a human form in life, but once they died their soul was free to manifest itself into a form reflecting the life it had lived. Disgusting, horrific creatures reeking of death and decay. The humans in the Underworld had taken to calling them Sins, the Reapers simply called them jobs.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Home Sweet Hell

**Author's Note:**

> Notes before you read: This did not start out as a fanfiction, it's been edited to be one (via find&replace for names mostly). So there will be mistakes because that particular function seems to have issues o.O at least for me. Also I don't currently have a beta so editing mistakes are plentiful ;; if you wish to save me from myself and be my beta I will love you forever.
> 
> If you want to read the original work it's on wattpad under the same title! ^^
> 
> IMPORTANT:  
> Kali = Kai  
> Abaddon = Chanyeol  
> Persephone = Key  
> Hades = Jonghyun

    Pomegranate seeds, drenched in glistening honey. The juice staining his lips, now sticky from the sweet golden nectar. The taste was indescribable, more succulent than  any fruit he had ever eaten before, sweeter than any sugar he had ever known. 

 

    All it took was that one forbidden bite. Eve had him apple, but Persephone had always preferred the sweeter taste of pomegranates. 

 

    Taemin remembered the flavor well, it’s hard to forget the taste that damns you for all of eternity.  Once you taste the food of Underworld you can never return to the land of the living, or at least that’s what Persephone told them that night. 

 

    The smell of sulfur and the taste of pomegranates and honey, if anywhere were to ask him that was how Taemin would describe the Underworld. 

 

    But the Reapers? He could only describe them as pure sensual heat. The kind that made his blood feel like lava in his veins,  made him feel like he was burning alive slowly from the inside out. 

 

    Most people knew Reapers by a different name; demons. Taemin knew them as Masters.

 

    “Kali...” Taemin’s voice carried despite it’s softness in the nearly empty room. A Reaper’s room, lavishly decorated with millennia of relics dating back further than Taemin could recognize. There were weapons from every civilization that had ever existed on Earth, stone carvings, decorative vases, tapestries, even an entire shrine all depicting the same deity. A creature of destruction and power, human in appearance except for the multitude of arms, some shown only four, others hundreds. All of them were the same being, the demon who stood in the doorway. Once respected and feared as a god, now he was little more than myth to the Land of the Living.

 

    “What is it now?” The demon spoke with a voice deep enough Taemin could feel it in his chest, yet as light and sensual as silk. Impossible to describe, everything about the creatures were impossible to depict with words. Impossible to truly understand unless you had seen one for yourself. 

 

    Despite the impatience of the words themselves, the tone they were spoken with betrayed nothing at all. No emotion detectable, but Taemin knew better than to listen with his ears. The way Kali was standing, his weight shifted to one side, his hand resting against the doorway. He was shirtless, wearing only tight fitting black pants, and the jewelry that always adorned him. He always reminded Taemin of a Prince. An inhuman, Prince of pure darkness and sin. His skin was translucent, a pale opal color that appeared all at once white and yet when he moved even the slightest bit, color seemed to ripple beneath the white. Hues of colors, some Taemin had names for, other’s he was sure only existed here in the Underworld. His hair was deep black in appearance, but Taemin had seen the deepest blues and purples hidden there as well. Like his skin it seemed to ripple and move on it’s own, like a current that was directly linked to his mood. 

 

    Kali was still facing away from Taemin, so he couldn’t see the deep blackness of his eyes but he knew that Kali wasn’t angry, any more than he was annoyed. The aura surrounding the demon was one of nothing more dangerous than boredom. 

 

    “I want to go home.” Taemin spoke again, finally moving to stand up from where he had been sitting on the bed. He picked up his discarded shirt from where it lay crumpled on the edge of the bed and he pulled it over his head, Kali must have turned around in the time it took him to pull the garment down because he was suddenly pinned with void like black eyes that pulled the very breath from his lungs in a startled gasp. 

 

    “That, again?” Kali sighed and crossed his arms over his chest, the strange movement of color beneath his skin only seemed to accent his already well defined muscles. His face seemed almost soft, feminine, if not for the defined jaw that was clearly male. Though Taemin had long since learned that gender had no meaning in the Underworld. Kali had been male, he had been female, he had been both, and he had been neither during the countless years of his existence. A fact that Taemin still struggled to understand with the limited capacity of his human mind.

 

    “If you can tell me where home is, I’ll gladly take you.” Kali whispered, but he didn’t need to raise his voice to be heard perfectly. His voice carried like a soft breeze but penetrated deep into Taemin’s mind as if it the words had been written there. There was a slight curl to his lips, amusement. They had this conversation many times and it always ended the same way.

 

    “Why can’t you just take me Kali? I know you know...” Taemin pleaded, becoming desperate just like always. He wanted to go home, he wanted to leave this haunting place. The smell of sulfur was so ingrained in him now he couldn’t breathe without the stench of it. The unending darkness of the Palace of Hades was making him go mad. The fire light that lit the hallways made the shadows constantly dance and move. Everything here seemed to be in constant motion, even Kali. Taemin was the only thing that ever seemed to stand completely still there was no color moving under his too pale skin. His deep brown hair fell into his eyes but unless he brushed it away it stayed there. He had stared into his own reflection enough to know that his deep chocolate eyes never changed color, they never lost their oval shape that he inherited from his Korean parents. He never changed, and he missed the stationary world he only visited in his dreams.

 

    Kali’s deep chuckle tore Taemin from his thoughts and glanced up to see the Reaper walked closer, lifting one pale hand he gently brushed Taemin’s bangs out of his face, their skin brushing for only a fraction of a second but it was enough to send that burning heat straight through Taemin’s body. Kali looked like he would be as cold as ice, but every touch always burned, sometimes so badly it left blisters but it never hurt. No matter how hot it became, even when Taemin thought he was being burned alive there was no pain. “Because you belong to me now Taemin. Forget who you were, forget that family I see in your mind while you sleep. They aren’t real, those memories are just fantasies. Persephone erased every memory you have of your old life, stop chasing the shadows of memories you lost.” Even though it was meant to be a gentle plea, Taemin heard the command beneath. Kali didn’t want to go through this conversation again, and Taemin knew that, but his heart ached for people’s whose faces he couldn’t even picture anymore. If he truly couldn’t remember them ,why did he miss them so much? Perhaps it was just the idea of them that he missed so much.

 

    Slowly Kali’s fingers trailed down his temple, his fingers had been busy toying with Taemin’s bangs while he was apparently too lost in thought to notice, but it was impossible not to notice the tingle trail of heat Kali’s fingers left behind as they continued their path downwards until a soft palm cupped his cheek. It was gentle warmth now, seeping slowly into Taemin’s veins and spreading throughout his body, relaxing him even as Kali’s deep black eyes lulled him into a near trance like state. He felt like a snake, falling prey to the tune of Kali’s flute. 

 

    “I am all you will ever need, Taemin.” Kali whispered, his voice felt like a physical caress against Taemin’s lips and he felt them parting without his permission. His body growing pliant in his master’s too capable hands. His mind already so saturated in delicious heat he couldn’t have struggled even if he had wanted to. 

 

    Kali met no resistance as he pressed his deep red lips against Taemin’s, the soft whimper that escaped Taemin the moment their lips pressed together was swallowed by the vastness of Kali’s hunger. Taemin felt like he was being eaten alive, and in the space of a single heartbeat it was over. As Kali stepped back Taemin felt the air rush back into his lungs so fast he stumbled backwards as the room spun for a few precarious seconds.

 

    “Tell me something Taemin.” Kali said, having paused as he was leaving the room. He turned slightly so he could look back at his dear human pet. Taemin still looked slightly winded and he had one hand on the bedpost to steady himself as he caught his breath. However, when Kali spoke he raised his deep chocolate eyes in silent question. “Where is home?”

 

    Taemin hesitated for only a fraction of a second before he spoke, “Here. With you Master Kali.” He said, his voice soft but firm in it’s conviction. 

 

    That was all Kali needed to hear, he nodded once and a soft chuckle escaped him, “Good boy.” He purred, his lips curling into a pleased smile as he finally left the room, the door swinging shut behind him of it’s own accord. Leaving Taemin alone with only this thoughts, and that lingering ache that even Kali’s command couldn’t erase.


	2. Candy Love

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kali = Kai  
> Abaddon = Chanyeol  
> Persephone = Key  
> Hades = Jonghyun  
> Nell = OC  
> Ammit = OC  
> Mors = OC
> 
> Extra: I named this chapter Candy Love because in the original version of this story 'Ren' is a girl named Candi. Sorry Ren baby <3 I love you to pieces I swear.

 In a world where Buddha and the Christian God were nothing more than forgotten stories, humanities moral compass was on a slow path to complete destruction. As a Reaper’s companion Taemin, and the other humans like him, were trained daily so they were always prepared for the next monster the human soul would manifest in to.

 

    The more cruel, murderous, and sadistic they were in life, the more it twisted their soul into something that was truly demonic and unrecognizable. They may have been trapped in a human form in life, but once they died their soul was free to manifest itself into a form reflecting the life it had lived. Disgusting, horrific creatures reeking of death and decay. The humans in the Underworld had taken to calling them Sins, the Reapers simply called them jobs.

 

    “I don’t get it Taemin, if you want to know so badly, then why don’t you just go over Kali’s head and ask Persephone himself?” Ren, the only other human that Taemin liked enough to befriend. He was a slight boy, almost soft looking but with a strong athletic body. His hair was kept should length, and bleached white blonde except for his bangs which he dyed a new color every handful of weeks. This time it was bright pink. 

 

    Taemin picked up the bow and an arrow, he was skilled when several weapons by now but he preferred ranged. He didn’t like getting to close to the Sins, he’d leave that to Kali. He rolled his eyes at Ren’s remark and shook his head, “I’m sorry, have you met Kali? Would you want to go over his head? I like my limbs attached to my body thank you very much.” He said, notching the arrow and pulling it back. He took careful aim of the target, a wooden piece made to look vaguely human in shape with a bullseye where the heart would be. He waited a slow count of three before he released the arrow, watching in mild satisfaction when it sank deeply into the wood only a few centimeters from the center. 

 

    “Oh come on, like Kali would kill you. Even Ammit’s blind companion, Nell or whatever, can see how much Kali favors you.” Ren pointed out, rolling his eyes as he tightened his grip on a javelin. Stepping back slightly he pulled his arm back and launched the spear as hard as he could, watching as it hit the target right in the center of the forehead. “Hell yeah! I told Abaddon I could master this thing in a week. Teach him to doubt me.” 

 

    Taemin couldn’t help but smile at Ren’s carefree attitude, that was probably why he liked the blond so much. He never wasted time thinking about pointless things like Tay did, he just tackled each day at it came. Ren found purpose and meaning hunting down the Sins, and even in this dreary place he hadn’t lost his sense of self. He was like this bright splotch of color in the grayscale world Taemin found himself in. It was refreshing, Ren kept him sane and he was grateful for that.

 

    “It’s not death I’m afraid of.” Taemin muttered, shaking his head again, “It doesn’t matter how soft a spot he has for me, he won’t forgive me for disobeying him over this. He’s almost as old as the King, I would rather not piss of a creature of ancient evil.” He said dryly, internally shuddering at the idea of what Kali would do to him if he had gone to Persephone about his family. He could imagine his intestines would make a lovely new necklace, or he might find out what his heart looked like beating inside his own chest. 

 

    “Why not? You’re already in Hell.” Ren pointed out with a shrug and bright smile, his bright blue eyes lightening up with that spark that always spelled trouble for the both of them. “Fine, if you won’t do it, maybe I will.” He said, darting towards the door of the training room before Taemin could grab him to stop him. 

 

    “Dammit Ren!” He shouted after the blond, nearly running right into poor Nell in his haste to try to catch up with Ren. He tossed back some kind of an attempt at an apology, but he didn’t stop to make sure Nell was alright. He had to get to Ren before he made it to the throne room. He didn’t know what time it was, but he could only hope that Persephone was spending time in the garden instead.

 

    Racing down the hallways after him, he knew he had no chance of catching the other, he was faster than Tay was and didn’t care who he might run into. Taemin was trying desperately not to run into anyone who might come after his head later. He watched with dread as Ren opened the door to the throne room, looking back at Taemin and flashing him a grin that looked surprisingly like Taemin pictured death would look, before he disappeared into the room. Taemin raced inside only a few seconds later, skidding to a stop in the massive room and the sight that met him was almost worse than the one he’d been expecting.

 

    “What are you doing in Persephone’s throne?!” Taemin demanded, his voice coming out in an angry hiss, he was trying to keep his voice down, the last thing he wanted was someone to know they were there. Especially while Ren was lounging in the Queen of the Underworld’s throne.

 

    Ren shrugged and sat up, “Keeping it warm for him?” he suggested, laughing and standing up to Taemin’s great relief. He loved Ren, he really did, but he was going to get them killed one of these days. “They aren’t even here you know. Hades and Persephone left for some big important ‘fate of mankind’ meeting or something.” He explained, laughing at the look of utter relief on Taemin’s face. “Did you really think I’d do that to you? I was only messing with you Taemin, I don’t want you in trouble with Kali, I think you’re cutest in one piece.” He said like that was supposed to reassure him somehow, it almost did but he couldn’t shake that lingering terror that went through him when he really thought he was going to be too late.

 

    “How did you know Hades and Persephone were gone?” Taemin asked, wanting to steer the subject away from dangerous territory and into something safe so Taemin’s heart rate could finally return to normal.

 

    “Abaddon told me, doesn’t Kali tell you anything?” Ren asked, rolling his eyes when Taemin shook his head. “Of course he doesn’t, secretive bastard. Maybe you just aren’t seducing him well enough. I have Abaddon wrapped around my finger, you need to work on your seduction methods.”

 

    “I don’t think I--” Taemin started but he was cut off by the sudden flickering of the firelight in the room, as if a strong breeze had just swept through. The temperature seemed to rise and then drop suddenly, leaving both Ren and Taemin shivering as they stepped closer together. 

 

    A woman had entered the throne room, terrifyingly white, her skin, her hair, even her eyes were all the same ghostly pale. Her tattered white gown seemed to ripple and flow with an invisible breeze that also gently stirred her floor length hair. Taemin had never seen her before, and judging by the wide-eyed look on Ren’s face, he hadn’t either.

 

    “What a pretentious little boy, sitting on the Queen’s throne.” The woman spoke and her voice rattled and rasped, she seemed to struggle for breath yet the power she radiated left no mistake in Taemin’s mind. She was not weak, old, or frail, and they were in a lot of trouble.

 

    “M-my lady, I meant no disrespect...” Ren tried to defend himself but was cut off by a sharp gasp, his hands flying to his throat. 

 

    “Ren!” Taemin exclaimed, catching Ren as he collapsed against him, from the rapidly reddening hue of his face and the way his nails clawed as his throat Tay knew he couldn’t breathe. “Stop it!” He begged, by the woman’s eery white gaze was focused only on Ren, she didn’t even seem to hear him.

 

    “I said stop it!” Taemin shouted, holding Ren closer and pinning the woman when a glare that was far more confident than he felt. “I am the companion of Kali, if Hades is truly absent then Kali is the highest authority until the Kings return. If you do not release him I will bring the wrath of the Prince of Destruction down on you and he will not be merciful.” 

 

    The woman’s eyes flickered to him for a moment, Taemin’s gaze was cold, his expression twisted into one of fury. Two tense seconds passed while their gazes locked before a violent gasp tore Taemin’s attention back to Ren. He was clutching onto Tay’s shirt and gulping in deep breaths of air, trembling and him legs were barely supporting him.

 

    “Throwing around your Master’s name like that, best watch you don’t bring the wrath of the Prince down on yourself.” The woman rasped, a bone chilling cackle echoing throughout the room as she vanished as quickly as she had come, the flickering of firelight the only indication of her departure. 

 

    “Thank you...” Ren whispered, there were tears clinging to his lashes and he was still leaning heavily against Taemin. His whole body hadn’t stopped trembling and Taemin could only hold him tighter in an attempt to calm him down.

 

    “I’ve always got your back, Ren.” Taemin promised, a small smile curling his lips as he tried to coax a mirroring one from the blond. It was shaky ,but he did smile back. He knew Ren was going to be okay, he would bounce back in a few minutes but he still worried. 

 

    “You two are always so sweet.” A voice spoke, interrupting them, there was no warning signs this time but neither of them panicked. The way the words seemed to whisper and caress Taemin’s mind even after they were spoken, coupled with a voice he would recognize even deaf. Kali’s arrival was almost a comfort after their encounter with that strange woman. “Why does this place reek of Mors?” He demanded, a frown twisting his features.

 

    “Who? That white lady?” Taemin asked, assuming that’s who Kali was talking about, seeing as she was the only one who’d been in here other than Ren and himself.

 

    “Yes, our lovely pale lady of death.” Kali chuckled and shrugged one shoulder before he stepped away from King’s throne and walked down the two steps to where the two humans were still standing. “We have a job to do Taemin. It’s always a pleasure to see you Ren.” He said, his lip curling into a sneer that clearly negated his words. 

 

    Taemin nodded and stepped away from Ren, hesitating but feeling a little better with the smile he sent his way. “I’ll be fine. I promise, I’ll go find Abaddon now. Have fun.” He told him, kissing his cheek quickly before he hurried out of the room. 

 

    “You two are rather close.” Kali commented, raising an eyebrow but there was a glint in his impossibly dark eyes that sent a shiver of fear racing down Taemin’s spine.

 

    “We’re only friends Kali, I promise.” Taemin tried to reassure him, not wanting to risk his jealousy over something like this. He would never want to put Ren in that kind of danger. 

 

    “For his sake, you better be.”


	3. A Monster Among Men

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kali = Kai  
> Abaddon = Chanyeol  
> Serket = OC

The atmosphere that night was bone chilling, and it had nothing to do with the brisk chill in the night air. The moon was full and heavy in the sky, it’s light illuminating thick patches of fog on the nearly swamped farmland. The yard was overgrown with weeds, and it looked like the field hadn’t been touched in years. 

The house was abandoned, rotting from the weather and falling prey to the inescapable ivy that was threatening to swallow it up completely. Kali was searching the acres of land near by, while Taemin had opted to take the house and the barn. The human they were after tonight hadn’t died yet, but according to the Fates he was scheduled to tonight. They had to find him before his soul manifested into a Sin.

Taemin was fully prepared for a fight, dressed in the standard black pants made of some kind of leather that was butter soft but nearly impossible to rip or tear through. A simple black tank top was covered by a specialized mesh top that covered his entire torso, including his neck. It was made of some kind of silk that was almost indestructible. It was fireproof, couldn’t be sliced open not even by blades. However it couldn’t stop Taemin from getting stabbed, it could stop the sharp blade from cutting into him, but the force of the attack could still drive the weapon into Taemin’s body. Something he had learned the hard way on a hunt similar to this one.

From what Kali had told him this man was a true monster among men. He brutally murder woman and children, keeping them for days and toying with them before he finally disposed of them. Rape, torture, every grotesque act Taemin could imagine this man had inflicted on innocent people for sheer sport. He wasn’t the first of his kind that Taemin had hunted, and as much as he wanted to believe he would be the last, he knew that was just wishful thinking. There were more monsters in the world now than there had ever been.

A soft whisper of sound drew Taemin’s attention towards a small room off to the side of the hallway he’d been walking down. He slowly pushed it open, his hand gripping the six pointed shuriken, it was forged in the fires of Hell and could trap a Sin if they were hit in either the heart or the head. Anything else would only piss it off more, aim was critical which was why Kali and the other Reapers always stressed daily practice. 

When the room appeared empty he slowly took a step inside, a shuffling noise immediately drew his attention to the far left corner where a couple of old mattresses were piled up. The room was filled with broken glass, there was a scorch mark in the center of the floor. Clearly someone had tried to squat here once, another shuffling nose and a raccoon poked it’s head out from the other side of the mattresses. 

Taemin shook his head a little at his own over reaction, he should have known it wasn’t human. As Taemin continued through the empty house he found a room that looked like it had once belonged to a child, the only room in the house that was free of dust. There were toys littering the floor, a small bed off to one side, and a dresser filled with clothes. 

The closet revealed even more clothes, dresses and jeans. In the back was a scrapbook, curiously he bent down and picked it up. Flipping to the first page his eyes widened in horror and he nearly dropped the book. The very first picture showed a little girl, maybe six years old. She was dressed up in a pretty sky blue dress and sitting on the bed across the room, she was crying as she looked up at the camera. In the next picture it showed the same little girl, barely recognizable from the blisters and burns that had disfigured the entire side of her body. She was dressed up again the same sky blue dress but this time she wasn’t crying, she just looked at the camera with a vacant expression. In the very last picture the little girl was clearly dead, laying on the bed with her neck bent at an unnatural angle. Her eyes were still open and she had clearly been positioned so she was looking up at the camera. At the very bottom of the page was the word ‘Lori’ and a date. 

Flipping through the rest of the book he found similar pages, some of the victims were male, some female, some young like Lori, some older. None of them above their teens though, and all of them had been tortured in some way before they died. Each of their names was documented and what Taemin could only assume was the date they died. There had to be nearly fifty pages in the scrapbook, and it had clearly been kept in the closet for a reason. Probably for the latest victims to find.

Taemin had been so absorbed in the scrapbook he had completely forgotten why he was in that house of horrors to begin with, the creak of the wooden door was nearly deafening in the eerily silent house and Taemin dropped the scrapbook, whipping around and throwing two of the shurikens before he even let his brain catch up with the movements. One of the blades sank into the door, the other hit Kali in the shoulder, and Taemin wasn’t sure whether to be relieved it was just Kali, or ashamed with his own aim. 

Kali blinked and looked down at the blade now embedded in his shoulder, reaching up he carefully pulled it out. “Ow.” He said loudly and with clear emphasis as he lifted his gaze and pinned Taemin with a very unamused glare. “That hurt, and your aim sucks. If I had been trying to kill you, not only would I be pissed you’d be dead. As it is, I’m just pissed.” He said, throwing the shuriken back and it hit the floor less than a centimeter from Taemin’s foot. 

“Maybe you shouldn’t sneak up on people in creepy houses.” Taemin grumbled, leaning down to pick up the bladed star from the floor and tuck it back into it’s pouch.   
  “I’m sorry, what was that?” Kali asked, his tone low and dangerous as he eyed Taemin, he had never really had a sense of humor. Probably a side effect of living in the Underworld for several millennia. 

“I said, I’m sorry Master Kali.” Taemin spoke up louder this time, looking up at the Reaper with a smile that was a poor attempt at being charming. “Next time I’ll be sure to hit you in the chest.” He promised, laughing when Kali rolled his eyes. Kali never used to roll his eyes, that was human thing Taemin was pretty sure he picked up from him. Kali had picked up a lot of human traits, not that Taemin was going to tell him that, he valued his limbs and organs intact. 

“You need to stop hanging out with Ren, she’s a bad influence.” Kali growled, walking closer, he kicked the nightmarish scrapbook aside and pulled Taemin against his chest. Logically Taemin knew that the middle of a hunt was not the time for indulging themselves, but when Kali’s lips pressed against his and the burning heat sank in, he found himself kissing back anyway.

He was always powerless against Kali, a lot of the others like to blame their attraction to their Masters on some kind of spell Persephone had put on them when they were brought to the Underworld. But Taemin was under no such illusions. He was attracted to Kali simply because of Kali. He was handsome, powerful, seductive, and he knew how to play Taemin’s body like he’d created it himself. Human minds were nothing compared to the whim of a god after all, Taemin had long since learned there was no point in fighting his attraction to Kali.

At some point Kali’s hands had found there way up under the two shirts he was wearing and his sharp nails were lightly scrapping against the skin on Taemin’s lower back. Taemin was already light headed, his mind saturated with heat and lust. He forgot all about where he was and why he was there each and every time Kali’s burning lips found his again. 

Eventually he would learn to pay attention, but that was so much easier to do when he wasn’t with Kali. The telltale whistle of hair should have been enough of a warning, but the soft moan Taemin let out at the same time masked the sound. He felt one of Kali’s hands slip out of his shirt, but it was the soft hiss of pain he let out that had Taemin stepping back. 

The first thing he noticed was the shuriken Kali was pulling out of his palm, the second thing he noticed was that they weren’t alone any longer. 

“How is he already dead?” Kali hissed, just as Taemin looked up at the doorway and felt his blood run cold. It looked like they were too late, the Sin had already manifested and it was worse than Taemin thought it would be.

The creature standing in the doorway was human like in size and shape, but horribly emaciated. It’s sickly gray skin was stretched taunt over it’s bones, it was hunched overly slightly seemingly trying to curl in on itself where it stood. It was looking at them with eyes that took up most of it’s skull, they were bloodshot and had no pupils that Taemin could see but they were fixated on the two of them, unblinking. It’s jaw was crooked, it looked like it had been dislocated on one side, and there was some kind of black liquid oozing out of the side of it’s mouth. It was holding it’s arms close to it’s chest and it looked like it had deliberately broken both of it’s forearms, as sharp bone poked through the skin. The hands Taemin could see were gnarled, deformed, probably useless. He was about to question who had thrown the shuriken until a flicker of movement drew his attention to a whip like tail, the end of which was a wicked looking stinger. The light in the room was dim but Taemin could still make out something, a discoloration covering the Sin’s body.

“It’s covered in blood.” Kali murmured his expression twisting in disgust, and Taemin realized with horror that he was right, that wasn’t a discoloration, the creature was literally stained with blood.

“Hey Kali...I’m sleeping with you tonight.” Taemin said in a weak attempt at a joke as he shifted a half step closer to Kali. That simple movement proved to be a mistake, faster than Taemin’s eyes could interpret the Sin’s tail whipped out. Kali reacted before Taemin even realized what was going on, shoving him so hard he hit the ground and slid coming to stop next to the discarded scrapbook.

“Kali!” Taemin cried out, hearing a gasp of pain then another thud. He spotted Kali on the floor a few feet away and he knew he was in serious trouble now. There were very few things in the world that could incapacitate a God, whatever this Sin’s venom was made from it would more than kill Taemin.

Frantically his mind raced for a solution, his hand hitting the scrapbook and an idea hit him. They were taught all kinds of techniques for subduing a Sin when combat wouldn’t work, Taemin had never really needed them until now, they had never come across something this twisted and powerful before. Taemin couldn’t fight something that was faster than Kali.

A mix between a rattling cry and a growl drew his attention back to the Sin. It’s bloodshot eyes were fixated on him now and it slowly tilted his head, as if trying to figure out what he was. It took a few shuffling steps closer before it suddenly opened it’s mouth revealing sharp, curved teeth, stained black and let out an unearthly howl and lunged.

Taemin panicked and picked up the scrapbook, flipping it open to a page, trying not to look at the horrific pictures inside but he caught the name ‘Victoria’ before he opened the book towards the Sin.

“Her name was Victoria!” Taemin shouted the words and trying to sound like he wasn’t going to die if this plan didn’t work. However the inhuman shriek of pain that filled the room gave Taemin the courage to actually look at the monster again.

The Sin was trying to shield it’s eyes, it’s tail whipping blindly and it nearly hit Taemin a coupe of times but the monster couldn’t seem to look at him to aim. 

It was working, forcing the soul to face the sins it committed in life was supposed to incapacitate them. The twisted raw form their soul became couldn’t handle being exposed to the truth of what it was. 

“Look at her! You killed her!” Taemin insisted, slowly standing up and stepping closer , holding the book open with one hand as he slowly unsheathed the knife at his thigh. A simple shuriken wouldn’t be enough to take this one down, he needed a bigger blade, one that had been dipped in Kali’s blood. 

“You killed them all!” He shouted, flipping to whatever page was next in the book as he backed the creature against the wall and took careful aim. He had only had one chance, pain would break the hold the book had over the Sin and it would flee. Taemin would never be able to hunt it down, and innocents would die. He wouldn’t have that kind of blood on his hands. He let out a slow, calming breath as he raised his arm and took aim. He sent out a silent prayer to Artemis and small apology to Kali along side it, he was always jealous when Taemin prayed to other gods, and he threw the knife. 

It sank deeply into the Sin’s temple and into the wall behind it, a few centimeters from the forehead but the Sin couldn’t break free from it. Despite it’s thrashing and screaming in pain, the knife held it trapped where it was. 

Taemin breathed a small sigh of relief and walked forward, until he stood before the writhing Sin. “Your soul was brought before the Gods and you have been judged and deemed unholy. You are sentenced to eternity in agony. I am the Voice and the Will of the Reaper, for your sins and the blood that stains your soul, descend into Hell.” He commanded, stepping back as flames appeared and began to lick at the Sin’s feet, within seconds they rose and engulfed the screaming creature whole and vanished, the only signs they had ever been were the small scorch make on the floor and the lingering scent of burning flesh.

Taemin only had a few seconds of relief before he remembered, “Kali!” He cried out, spinning around and rushing over to the floor where the god was still unconscious. He knew Kali wasn’t dead, only a god could kill another god, but he should have woken up by now.

Nothing about this hunt was right, that man wasn’t even supposed to be dead for another hour and a half at least. They were supposed to have found him before he manifested but they couldn’t even find his body. Now Kali wasn’t waking up, and Taemin didn’t know what to do.

“Kali... please...” He begged, gently shaking him but it did nothing, Kali didn’t respond at all. He was just still, so horribly still it scared Taemin. God’s didn’t need to breath, their bodies were sustained through their own power. As long as power still flowed through them their body’s would remain in tact, that was the only way Taemin knew that Kali was even still alive.

Taemin bit down hard on his lip, trying not to completely panic as he tried to figure out what to do. He couldn’t carry Kali, but he needed to get him back to the Underworld so someone could help him. Kali would never forgive him for praying for help, that left him with only one other choice, and he had to hope Abaddon had enough of a soft spot of Ren to not outright rip him to pieces for what he was about to do.

“I am the Voice and the Will of the Reaper, I command you to appear before me, Abbadon!” Taemin commanded, using the only spell they were given as companions to the Reapers. Taemin was connected to Kali through the God’s flow of power Taemin’s own soul, by claiming to be the voice and will of Kali he was claiming to stand in for the god himself, essentially borrowing Kali’s power. They were only allowed to use it without permission for hunts, or emergencies. Taemin was labeling this an emergency.

“ Why you arrogant little shit!” An angry snarl exploded in Taemin’s ear as he was hoisted up off the ground by a rough grip on his shirt. The first thing he noticed when he looked down was the shock of deep red hair, then the pissed off black glare. Abbadon was as indescribably handsome as Kali was, but whereas Kali could be considered androgynous, Abbadon was pure masculinity. His skin was a golden tan, but it seemed to flicker with varying tones of gold, it reminded him of sun over a dessert. His nearly waist length hair looked almost like it was burning, it crackled and the air around it shimmered with heat waves and Taemin could see a range of colors from yellow, orange, and red, to even flashes of blue and green. All in all Abaddon was the embodiment of fire and rage, and he was clearly pissed.

“W-wait! I c-can explain!” Taemin cried, wincing and trying to look anywhere but at Abaddon’s face, he knew commanding a God like that wasn’t a great idea but what choice did he have? “I n-need help! Kali!” He pointed frantically at Kali’s prone body on the flood and yelped in pain when he was unceremoniously thrown to the floor.

“What the fuck happened to him?” Abaddon demanded, still clearly pissed but at least his rage was controlled for now. 

“I d-don’t know exactly, the Sin had some k-kind of venom, Kali was protecting me...” Taemin explained, wanting to move closer to Kali but refusing to get any closer to Abaddon at the same time.

“Of fucking course he was. I should leave his ass here for being so fucking soft.” Abaddon growled, nudging Kali with his foot.

“You would have done the same for Ren!” Taemin snapped before could think better of that, watching Abaddon be so disrespectful towards Kali wasn’t something Taemin would allow quietly.

“Watch it you little bitch. I could have you flayed and roasted for what you did, so I’d shut your fucking mouth.” Abaddon hissed, the air around him visibly heating up as he pinned Taemin with a glare that had him shrinking backwards. 

Abaddon turned his attention back to Kali though and the heat waves simmered down as he picked the other god up in his arms. “I’ll take him to Serket, you just stay out of my way. If I see you again, Kali’s companion or not, you’ll regret it.” He growled, shooting a glare Taemin’s way one last time before he summoned the fire that would take them to the Underworld. Much like the one that had consumed the Sin, the fire didn’t burn but was a gateway back to the Palace of Hades. As Taemin stepped through and the familiar smell of sulfur greeted him, he couldn’t help but feel like he was coming home.


	4. Magic Touch

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Beta ;; anyone? /sobs/
> 
> Also comments are really super appreciated <3333
> 
> Let me know what you think of the story, if you like it, if you don't. It is starting out well? Is there anything you want to know more about? (keep in mind this is only chapter four of a novel I'm working on to there's still so much more to come).
> 
> Kali = Kai
> 
> Abaddon = Chanyeol
> 
> Persephone = Key
> 
> Serket = OC

It was a about ten minutes after Abaddon left the medical ward that Taemin finally built up the courage to slip in himself. He found Kali’s room easily as it was the only private room with a current occupant. God’s didn’t exactly get hurt often, and humans were always admitted to the general room, never private ones.

By the time Taemin made it to the room Serket, one of the many Goddess‘ with healing abilities, had apparently already come and gone, there was a bandage around Kali’s neck and the mesh armor top he had been wearing was draped over the back of one of the two chairs near the bed. 

Taemin sat down in the chair closest to the bed and let out a soft sigh of disappointment when he realized Kali was still asleep. He was about to reach out and take his hand when the door opening drew his attention instead.

“What in the Hell did you do?” Ren demanded in a hushed tone, or as hushed as his tone came in, which could barely be considered an ‘inside voice’ at the best of times. 

“What do you mean?” Taemin frowned and decided to feign innocent on this one, he didn’t want to tell Ren more than he already knew. He loved him dearly and all, but didn’t trust him to keep this between them.

“I haven’t seen Abaddon this pissed since Amaterasu turned him down.” Ren explained, muffling laughter into his palm as he sat down and glanced over at Kali, seemingly only just realizing he was there. “What happened to him?”

“The hunt went wrong, Kali got hurt and I didn’t know what else to do...” Taemin tried to defend himself, his lips tugging down in a small pout as he glared at his lap. He was never going to hear the end of this.

“So you summoned Abaddon? Did you have a death wish or something?” Ren asked, shaking his head and looking entirely too amused by the whole situation.

“I didn’t know who else to ask for help!” Taemin whined, shaking his head. He was already going to have to go through all of this again with Kali when he woke up, why couldn’t Ren just not be Ren for five minutes?

“I was actually rather impressed with him.” An achingly familiar voice interrupted him and Taemin nearly leapt straight onto the bed in relief, but he managed to check himself just in time.

“Kali! You’re finally awake!” Taemin exclaimed, unable to resist wrapping his arms around Kali’s neck when he sat up from the bed. He didn’t seem to be in any pain and Taemin was so immensely grateful for that, however more muffled laughter from Ren brought his attention back to the blonde.

“‘Finally’ huh?” He asked, but he was looking at Kali this time and Taemin frowned in confusion and stepped back.

“What am I missing here?” Taemin looked from Kali’s slowly growing annoyance to Ren’s undeterred amusement and back again.

“Get out.” Kali snapped, glaring at Ren who was laughing as he stood up and hurried out of the room. “I demand you stop seeing him, I told you he’s a bad influence.” He growled, his glare remaining at the door for several seconds after Ren had left.

“Kali...” Taemin said, shaking his head and slowly crossing his arms over his chest. “What did she mean by ‘finally’. What does she know that I don’t?” 

Kali actually refused to look at Taemin for a few heartbeats before he finally groaned and sighed, “Well you were going to find out anyway. I wasn’t exactly knocked out for as long as I was pretending to be.” He finally admitted, swinging his legs over the side of the bed.

“So how long were you awake?” Taemin demanded, frowning. He was determined to hold his ground on this but when Kali’s deep black gaze met his he somehow still found himself in Kali’s lap a few seconds later. He was convinced it was some kind of hypnosis, he didn’t like to think his will was that weak.

“I was awake again before I hit the floor.” Kali admitted reluctantly, sighing softly as he wrapped his arms around Taemin’s waist. 

“What the hell Kali?!” Taemin demanded, trying to be angry but it was so damned hard with the way his intensely dark gaze captured his and seemed to hold him there so effortlessly. 

“I know, you’re angry. I did it for a reason Taemin, wanted to test you.” Kali explained soothingly, though his explanation was far from adequate given just how many tests he had already put Taemin through. 

“And what were you testing this time? You already tested my stamina, you’ve tested my problem solving abilities, my team work skills, you’ve figured out my strategies when I’m out numbers and out matched. What more was there to test?” Taemin insisted, managing to break away from Kali’s gaze and stand up, but it was a massive effort of will and left him feeling achingly empty inside as he put distance between them.

“Your magic, Taemin.” Kali explained gently, his lips curling into a slight smile as he reached a hand out to Taemin, trying to coax him to come back but Taemin held firm on the other side of the small room. 

“What magic? Humans don’t have magic, that was one of the first things we were taught.” Taemin pointed out, shaking his head and crossing his arms over his chest. He remembered that lesson, humans had no magic of their own, the only reason Taemin could perform those spells was because he was channeling Kali’s power, Kali’s magic.

“They don’t, but some humans have the potential to harness it. Taemin, haven’t you ever noticed? That very first night you came here, there were hundreds of you, but you only train with maybe forty. Didn’t you ever wander what happened to the rest of them?” Kali prompted, letting his hand rest on his lap when it became clear that Taemin wasn’t going to accept his invitation. “The humans that couldn’t harness magic became nothing more than pretty pets. The rest of you were trained to become companions for us Reapers.”

“Okay, so I can harness magic, what does that have to do with faking an injury and letting me nearly get killed twice?” Taemin demanded, his tone slightly more irritable than he meant for it to be, but he really hated it when Kali pointed out obvious things like that. He really should have noticed, he just kind of assumed there were other classes or something that trained somewhere else. It never occurred to him that they were it, that not all of them had become companions. 

“Taemin, when you thought I wasn’t waking up you could have done a hundred different things. You could have come back here yourself and gotten help. You could have sent me back to the Underworld the same way you sent that soul. You had options Taemin, but out of everything you could have done, you chose to summon a god. Not just any god either, you summoned Abaddon, and he’s not a minor god Taemin. Do you realize that?” Kali asked, pinning Taemin with a serious expression as he spoke. 

Taemin’s heart sank as Kali spoke, now that he really thought about it he had made a pretty stupid mistake there. He should have left Kali to go get help instead but... “I just couldn’t leave you there alone.” He whispered, his eyes falling to the floor as he finally walked over and sat back down in Kali’s lap again. “I’m sorry.” He whispered.

“Don’t be sorry, Taemin. You still don’t understand. Ren never would have been able to do that.” Kali tried to explain, tipping Taemin’s chin up to force those beautiful chocolate brown eyes back to his. “You control magic without even trying. So many of the others can hardly condemn a soul, let alone even think about doing what you did. You’re not like the other human’s Taemin. Granted you’re absolute shit at weapons combat, but your ability to harness magic is unheard of in a human.”

Taemin’s eyes searched Kali’s, trying to figure out what was going on. He had thought he was in trouble, but now it seemed like Kali was praising him. Kali rarely praised him, he never really had a reason to. Taemin wasn’t brave, or strong, or good at fighting like Ren was. He generally out ranked Tay in just about everything, but he was okay with that. They balanced each other out well, Ren was action and Taemin was thought. “What exactly are you saying Kali?” He finally whispered, he didn’t think he would ever be good at anything, he had accepted that a long time ago.

“I’m saying that you’re more powerful than you realize.” Kali explained, his fingers trailing through Taemin’s short brown hair as a smile played at his lips. “You have a talent Taemin.”

Taemin’s expression softened and he slowly wrapped his arms around Kali’s neck, “You really think so?” He asked, he hated sounding so pathetic, honestly he did, but if Kali actually thought he was good at something, if Taemin actually had something to be proud of, that was worth more than gold to Taemin.

“I’ve always thought so. Why do you think I accepted you? I never intended to take a human, Taemin. I know Persephone had other plans for me, but I was the one who ultimately decided. I wanted you.” Kali murmured, his tone deepening and turning more seductive as he said those last words, letting them fall against Taemin’s lips, his own barely a breath away.

Taemin felt a shiver race down his spine as the air between them seemed to heat up suddenly. Kali was a master at that, seduction, turning Taemin into a bundle of raw need with just a few words. 

It was Taemin who closed the distance this time, not wanting anymore of Kali’s games. He felt the heat of Kali’s tongue against the seam of his lips and he parted them without a second thought. Kali’s tongue was sinful, wicked, searching out sensitive places that pulled soft whimpers from Taemin’s throat. 

Even when his lungs burned for air and he felt lightheaded, he refused to pull away. Kali was the one who finally pulled back with a soft chuckle that whispered across Taemin’s mind and traveled down his body like a physical caress, pulling a moan from Taemin. “You have to breathe. “ Kali reminded him gently, coaxing Taemin to lay down and it was only then that Taemin realized they weren’t even in the medical ward anymore. Kali had managed to will them back to his room without Taemin even realizing.

He slowly laid back against the cool silk sheets, a soft sigh escaping him as he looked up at Kali. The god was beautiful in any form, breath taking, the kind of beauty that was truly inhuman, like it solidified the difference in them. Reaching up Taemin trailed his fingers through Kali’s hair, it was perfectly straight in this form, despite the way it seemed to curl and cling to Taemin’s fingers all on it’s own. 

The will of a god could affect anything around it, Taemin had long since gotten used to this. So when he looked up at up at Kali’s face and realized they were both naked he wasn’t surprised. Kali was never patient enough for removing clothes, he found it tedious. When he wanted something he wanted, and he always got it. 

“Are you going to make love to me like that?” Taemin whispered, feeling his body starting to buzz with anticipation. The build up was always slow, a few kisses, some light touches. At least until Kali shifted forms, he preferred his more human form most of the time, all of the gods did. It seemed to be a social norm to stay in their human form, they only revealed their true forms when they either needed to, or they simply felt like it. It was almost considered rude or even egotistical to walk around in their true forms, at least that’s what Taemin had noticed. He had also noticed that Kali preferred to make love to him in his true form.

“No. When do I ever?” Kali whispered, his lips curling into a smirk as he sat up and slowly removed his jewelry. Starting with the delicate looking gold chain around his head, a golden pendant dipped down onto his forehead, decorated with rubies that stood in stark contrast to his translucent white skin. He looked very old and it was simple but beautiful, though Taemin didn’t know the name of it, he was pretty sure it had something to do with the religion Kali was associated with. He took off the bracelets next, all of them were gold. Some were thicker, other’s almost hair thin. He set them on the stand beside the bed. He removed the band around his forearm, then the rings on his fingers. By the time he was finished there was a small fortune of jewelry sitting on the stand. 

“Why do you always take the time to take those off?” Taemin asked curiously, some things Kali always did that raised questions in Taemin. He had always chalked it up to Kali just being simply incomprehensible. He was a god, who was Taemin to question what he did and why?

“Because some things deserve respect. There was a time when I was truly worshiped and revered. Every god has their time, religions rise and fall constantly. I just have a soft spot for that particular one. Their jewelry was truly beautiful.” Kali explained softly, looking back at Taemin and right before his eyes he watched Kali transform. It was always an awe-inspiring process, to see Kali’s opal skin bleed to a such a deep blue it was almost black. The colors too dark to truly distinguish in the dim lighting, but Taemin could see the constant play of colors there, it made his skin look like it was shimmering. His nails turned black and lengthened, sharpened, able to slice through Taemin’s skin like it was paper. It was thanks to Kali that Taemin learned the pleasure of pain. Kali’s eyes seemed to glow with an inner light and true to the many depictions of him throughout the room, six arms had replaced the two he used to have. Taemin knew from experience that Kali could have as many as he wanted, it was all a matter of his will.

The first time Taemin had seen Kali in this form he had been terrified, Kali looked wild, untamed, powerful and dangerous. He looked every bit like a demon from some nightmare, but anymore Taemin only felt pure desire as he looked up at his god. 

Slowly Kali sank down onto the bed beside him, Taemin felt the light play of nails against his inner thighs, another set scrapping against the hollows of his hips, the last two resting on either side of his head. He felt his breath catch and his body trembled in response, his lips parted to speak but any words were cut off by the insistent press of Kali’s deep red lips against his own. They felt like they were scorching hot, blistering his lips but he still kissed back eagerly, arching up trying to press against Kali more completely.

Slowly Kali’s lips pulled away from his, a trail of fire following them as they slowly made their way to Taemin’s neck. A moan escaped him as Kali’s lips lingered there, a hot, open mouthed kiss and the sting of teeth drew a cry from Taemin’s throat. 

A soft pressure coaxed Taemin’s legs apart and the light teasing scrape of nails moved higher on his thighs, taking care not to break the skin, not yet. Taemin felt Kali’s fingers squeeze and massage his hips, making him squirm and whimper. Kali knew all of Taemin’s pleasure points like he had personally crafted them himself, and he took complete advantage of each and every one of them.

The blistering heat of Kali’s lips was nothing compared to the touch of his tongue as it danced across his collar bone, like the contained heat of a flame licking at his skin it was so hot it was painful yet it only served fuel his need. Slowly Kali’s tongue and teeth drew ragged, whimpering ,cries from Taemin as he made his way down Taemin’s chest to the deliciously inviting nipple that always made Taemin’s back arch up off the bed. Deeper moans poured from his lips as Kali’s hot tongue flicked against his sensitive bud, and his sharp teeth nearly broke the skin.

Scorching kisses burned a trail down Taemin’s abdomen, past his hips where Kali’s fingers hadn’t stopped kneading the sensitive hollows. He had already lost track of where all of Kali’s hands were, so a shocked sound escaped him as fingers suddenly took up the rough teasing of his nipples, pinching firmly and alternating with light scraps of his nails.

Taemin let out a strangled sob as Kali’s lips drifted so close to his painful erection. His fingers were caressing the skin only a breath away from the throbbing flesh and Taemin just wanted the teasing to stop. “K-kali... please...” He begged, breaking the silence that had only been interrupted by his own sounds of helpless pleasure.

“Are you going to cum if I put my mouth on you?” Kali whispered, his breath falling against Taemin’s straining erection and a soft sob escaped him as he squirmed, unsure if he wanted to press his hips closer or escape before he lost his mind entirely.

“Y-yes.” Taemin gasped, looking down at Kali with desperation in his lust darkened eyes. He was so turned on already, precum was leaking from the tip of his erection and it looked an angry red. He wanted release almost as badly as he wanted Kali. 

“Hm, too bad.” Kali murmured, pressing a light kiss to Taemin’s tip, his tongue snaking out to lap up the precum before he pulled away chuckling at the sobbing mess the simple action had reduced Taemin to. “You are so sensitive.” He murmured, shaking his head as he finally released Taemin completely and sat up. He didn’t have to say a word before Taemin was scrambling to roll over and prop himself up on his hands and knees. “Eager?” Kali chuckled, his amusement almost palpable as he leaned forward and pressed a kiss to the small of Taemin’s back. 

One hand reached out for the bottle of oil he kept near the bed just for these occasions, another trailed down Taemin’s spine while the rest resumed their torturous teasing of Taemin’s hips and nipples. Kali was entirely too addicted to the sounds Taemin made when he was lost in the heat and pleasure Kali brought him. He was being gentle this time, this was for Taemin’s pleasure not his own. 

Taemin felt like he was slowly being burned alive as Kali mercilessly abused his sensitive spots. He was sobbing into the pillow long before he finally felt Kali’s fingers pressing against his entrance. The heat of them slipping inside him tore a moan that almost sounded like pain as he pressed back against them. He didn’t think he could take much more of this before his body truly did combust. 

Thankfully Kali seemed to be willing to have a little mercy on him because his prepping was quick and efficient, neatly avoiding his prostate likely to keep him from cumming to quickly. A hand wrapped tightly around the base of his erection a split second before Kali’s hard length was suddenly pressing inside him, stretching him and filling him so completely. His arms gave out and he collapsed against the silk pillow with a loud cry.

Kali didn’t bother to give him time to adjust, he knew Taemin didn’t need it. As soon as he was fully sheathed he was pulling back out again, starting a deep, slow, rhythm. Each thrust nailing Taemin’s prostate with unerring accuracy, bringing out the most pathetic, desperate moans from him as he rocked back against Kali.

He couldn’t think past the pleasure, the need for each thrust. He reveled in the way Kali filled him so completely in a way that Taemin knew only he could. It was a purely physical ecstasy that went beyond gender, right or wrong, even orientation. Kali wanted this as much as Taemin did, and Taemin had long since learned to abandon his human ideals. There was only sex, pleasure, and possession.

Suddenly Kali’s hand around his length wasn’t restrictive anymore, it was stroking and rubbing the sensitive tip and Taemin couldn’t hold back his orgasm any longer. He came with a hoarse scream, Kali’s heat filling him up over and over again as he road out the waves of his orgasm. A deep, guttural groan behind him was the only indication that Kali had reached that orgasmic peak as well. 

As the pleasure began to die down and the heat faded into a blissful glow Taemin slowly rolled back over onto his back, looking up at Kali with a smile that brought a chuckle past Kali’s lips as he shook his head lightly, he had already shifted back into his humanesque form, enjoying his own post orgasmic bliss as he gave into temptation and laid down next to Taemin, pulling him into his arms. “Did you enjoy that?” He asked softly, nuzzling Taemin’s temple and letting an indulgent smile curve his lips.

“Mmm yeah... a lot.” Taemin admitted softly, turning into Kali’s chest and sighing happily as he let the other’s natural warmth completely envelope him. It felt so good, so right to be there in Kali’s arms. He didn’t know if love worked this way normally or not, but he didn’t care. His soul was connected to Kali and he would devote himself, mind, body, and heart to him for the rest of eternity. He was actually looking forward to eternity with Kali.

“Good, now rest Taemin, you need it.” Kali whispered, the words a command rather than a suggestion and Taemin felt his eye lids growing heavy even before he realized how tired he actually was. It had been a long day, and he was more than exhausted. However as he felt himself drifting off to sleep he felt that familiar flickering of shadows deep in his mind, like a ghost of a memory trying find it’s way to the surface.


	5. 05 Soul Mates

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Notes: Still in need of a beta T~T
> 
> Also thank you all who've commented so far <3 I really do appreciate the comments, they let me know how I'm doing, and encourage me to keep writing!
> 
>  
> 
> So please comment, and subscribe if you like this story so I know to keep uploading chapters here! <333

_‘Come on Taemin! Hurry up! We’re gonna be late...’_

_‘Why are you always so slow...’_

_‘.... It’s okay honey, just go at your own pace.’_

 

A soft gasp left him as his eyes fluttered open and the last wisps of the dream vanished, leaving nothing but echoes in his mind that he couldn’t make out no matter how hard he tried. Kali had told him those dreams, those memories, were just fantasies... yet Taemin couldn’t shake the feeling that there was more going on than just his imagination. He knew it would do him no good to dwell on it though, it would only upset Kali again and Taemin didn’t want to do that anymore than he already had.

    He felt a smile playing at his lips as he looked down to see Kali’s sleeping face, glad that he hadn’t woken up yet. He remember the first time he woke up and saw Kali sleeping, he hadn’t even know gods did sleep. Everything he’d thought he knew before, every idea he had about the gods, very few of it was actually accurate. Individual gods weren’t all powerful beings, they couldn’t create universes or destroy them. They were just a different species, one that was more powerful than humans had the ability to truly wrap their minds around. 

 

    He reached out and let his fingertips trail gently down the side of Kali’s face, his  long black hair wrapping itself around Taemin’s fingers and wrist of it’s own accord and it just made Taemin smile a little wider. Kali was almost cute like this, the first time they had met Taemin had been absolutely terrified of him. Kali was powerful seductive, dangerous,  untamable, and Taemin had never felt so utterly insignificant before.

 

    It was back, maybe a week after they all arrived in the Underworld, during the beginning of their training when they were being taught how life worked in there. Abaddon, of all people, had been teaching that particular day. Taemin remembered it well because Abaddon was a rather awful teacher.

 

    “Alright, shut the hell up.” The command was rough and angry, the man standing in the doorway was even more so. He looked like some kind of Egyptian prince, with a deep gold tan that somehow seemed to glisten as the fire light flickered across it. His hair was long, a deep red orange color and it was braided and fell over his shoulder almost to his waist. His eyes were impossibly black with and lined with black markings that only made them look that much darker.

 

    “Was that supposed to be some kind of pun?” Ren whispered, eyeing the man in the doorway with a mix of skepticism and curiosity. Taemin had bonded with Ren the moment they met, and he was glad he had. Ren was kind of his anchor in all this insanity. 

 

    “He doesn’t look like the punny sort.” Taemin whispered back, falling silent when a glare was shot his way. He turned his gaze down to the desk he was sitting at and opted not to look up until the man had made his way to the front of the room. 

 

    They’d been having classes like this for the past couple of days, different people teaching it each time but so far they’d only had soft spoken, motherly type goddesses. This guy seemed to be a whole new league and as Taemin subtly glanced around the room he could tell that he wasn’t the only one who had noticed. Several of the others were looking uneasy now, and that group in the back looked even more terrified than they normally did. The class was fairly divided, some of them like Taemin and Ren had accepted they this was their life now and were just looking to find their place in it, some were still convinced this was all some kind of test or nightmare, while others were simply too terrified to function. 

 

    “I am Abaddon, I am one of the most powerful of the death gods.” The man introduced himself, confirming Taemin’s theory about him being in a whole new league compared to the goddesses they had met prior to this.

 

    “Conceited much?” Ren whispered, giggling softly and Taemin had to bit his lip to hold back a smile. Ren was going to get them killed one of these days he was sure of it ,but Ren was so normal it was refreshing and he needed that to avoid ending up like those kids in the back of the room who were terrified of everything that moved.

 

    “Conceited?” Abaddon repeated, his voice dipping down an octave and drawing their attention back up to him. His arms crossed over his chest and he looked  less than impressed with Ren. For his part, Ren looked like he couldn’t care less as he leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms over his chest in a mirror of Abaddon.

 

    “Yes, conceited. Full of yourself. Big headed. Apparently a little slow too, should I keep going?” Ren asked, his voice dripping with honey but his eyes were locked with Abaddon’s in a clear challenge. His words were met with a chorus of gasps and some muffled sobs, but Taemin just bit his lip and tried to shift away from him as subtly as possible. He was going to miss Ren, he really was.

 

    “Well aren’t you a brave little maggot?” Abaddon growled, stalking over and slamming his palms down on Ren’s desk so hard it splintered the wood. When it started smoking a second later Taemin scooted his chair further away, not wanting to end up burnt to a crisp because Ren was an adrenaline junky with no filters. “Give me one good reason why I shouldn’t kill you right now.”

 

    “Because, let me guess, you’d rather fuck me?” Ren answered bluntly, his lips curling into a smirk and Taemin damn near choked on the air he’d been attempting to inhale. Ren was going to die, he was going to die, and Taemin was going to end up alone in this awful smelling, poorly lit, medieval castle. 

 

    Abaddon’s eyes flickered over Ren’s form and he actually chuckled, “You look like a woman, not really my type.”

 

    Taemin groaned internally a split second before the crack rang out through the room and everyone fell deathly silent. Ren was standing up ,the fury on his face would have been enough to make a normal man tremble, coupled with the blossoming hand print on Abaddon’s face, he wasn’t a man to mess with. 

 

    “You are such a typical man!” Ren shrieked, “You think my looks somehow equal my worth? You pompous, arrogant, piece of...”

 

    “I don’t know who I should be more impressed with.” A voice interrupted the scene just as Ren had gripped onto the mesh shirt Abaddon was wearing. “This human for his guts, or you, Abaddon, for managing to fail so quickly.” Kali walked into the room then and Taemin was sure his heart stopped beating for a second or two. Kali was gorgeous, like every dark fantasy that Taemin would never admit to having. 

 

    “Who invited you here Kali?” Abaddon demanded, pushing Ren away roughly and he fell back into his chair, wincing in pain as his shoulder blade collided rather painful with the back of the chair.

 

    “I heard you were teaching a class, I came to see if it was on fire yet.” Kali explained casually, shrugging one shoulder and glancing around the room with a chuckle. “I haven’t missed the fireworks it seems, and I got here just in time for the opening act.”

 

    Kali left shortly after that, he never once actually looked at Taemin but Taemin had never managed to take his eyes off him. He seemed to radiate the same level of power as Abaddon, but the two gods couldn’t be more different. Kali was subtle where Abaddon was blatant.  He was sexy and held that air of mystery that Abaddon definitely lacked. He refined, controlled, he reminded Taemin almost of a snake, the way he moved was so fluid and graceful without even trying. 

 

    The rest of that particular class consisted of Abaddon and Ren insulting each other and fighting, which somehow lead to them ending up as partners. Taemin was still confused how those two actually worked together without killing each other. They both had volatile tempers and short fuses, and neither one of them were the type to back down from a challenge. However Ren seemed happy and he really blossomed once he became Abaddon’s companion. Abaddon seemed to be able to push him into reaching potential he never even realized he had. 

 

    Their relationship was instantaneous from the moment they met, and Taemin really envied that. His relationship with Kali didn’t start until a few months later. After Taemin’s training was finished. He was ranked second in his class, only behind Ren. The only reason he had made it that high was because of the blonde. He spent hours of extra time helping Taemin with his weapons training, he was never too busy, and never got too impatient with him. 

 

    When it came to tests and practice, Taemin was actually good. He knew how to use a wide range of  weapons, his aim was good, his strategic skills were even better than Ren’s. In school he passed easily, in real situations he wasn’t all that skilled. He would rather resort to traps, or spells, than actually engage in combat. Which is why he ranked below Ren, who wasn’t afraid to fight, Ren wasn’t afraid of anything.

 

    A few days after they ‘graduated’ almost all of the others he had trained with had already found a companion, a god who wanted them. Taemin had no such luck, it didn’t really bother him though, he’d spoke to several of the gods including Anubis and even Hades himself but no matter how intimidating and power they were, they couldn’t erase the memory of Kali. 

 

    When he was summoned to the throne room that night he had honestly assumed it was because they were finally done waiting for him to find someone and were going to get rid of him.  So when he walked into the room and saw that Persephone was the only one there he was just a little confused.

 

    “My Lady.” Taemin murmured, bowing politely as he approached the throne. Persephone was a stunning goddess, his hair was black and kept short, the bangs angled to stay out of his eyes, which were deep blue and distinct in their feline appearance. His skin was pale, and silverly like moonlight. Unlike many of the others he appeared almost entirely human, the only thing about him that was inhuman was the spine tingling aura that surrounded him. Despite the male appearance, he insisted on being called ‘My Lady‘ and ‘Goddess’, something Taemin had simply never  questioned, it was not his place.  

 

    “Taemin.” He greeted him, his voice as clear and sweet as a bell. He really didn’t seem like the queen of the Underworld, he seemed almost too pure for a place like this. “Come, sit over here for a moment.” He instructed, gesturing to the small steps at the base of the thrones. Taemin obediently walked over and sat down, keeping his head bowed respectfully. 

 

    “Lady Persephone, to what do I owe the honor of your summons?” An entirely too familiar voice had Taemin lifting his head in disbelief. Kali was walking into the throne room, the very object of every one of Taemin’s fantasies since that first day in class. Kali was just as breathtakingly gorgeous as the first time Taemin had seen him, it was almost physically painful to watch him walk up to the throne. Only made more painful when he realized that Kali hadn’t once looked his way.

 

    “Kali, I actually brought you here because I have a gift for you.” Persephone explained, a hand on Taemin’s hair startled him and he glanced up at him before he quickly dropped his eyes back to the floor.  What gift could he be talking about, it couldn’t possibly be him, could it?

 

    “Oh? I don’t really think I’m in need of a gift my lady.” Kali said dryly, his tone making Taemin wince internally. He wanted to shrink away or just disappear entirely. He was starting to realize what was going on here, and it sounded to him like this wasn’t the first time these two had spoken about this.

 

    “Nonsense, Kali. I’ve told you before, I won’t take no for an answer. My husband and I are in agreement, and I’ve found one who will be perfect for you.” Persephone explained, a soft laugh echoing through the room and he touched Taemin’s hair again. “This is Taemin. He’s a very exceptional young man, he’s surprised me a number of times, and I know he’ll surprise you too.”

 

    That was definitely news to Taemin, he hadn’t thought he’d ever done anything noteworthy. He was wracking his brain but nothing really came to mind, he got into trouble a lot, curtesy of Ren mostly. He didn’t think that was what Persephone was talking about though.

 

    “So you’re forcing your little gift on me?” Kali asked, frowning and crossing his arms over his chest. He didn’t look pleased at all from the small glimpses Taemin was brave enough to sneak, and from what he had seen Kali still hadn’t looked at him.

 

    “If I must.” Persephone agreed, and Taemin could hear that sugary sweet smile in his voice, along with the deeper meaning there. This wasn’t a choice, Taemin was going with Kali whether the other god wanted him or not.

 

    “Fine. He has one day to impress me, that’s it.” Kali said coldly, already turning and heading out of the room. He didn’t bother to wait for Taemin, instead he left him sitting there confused and uncertain what to do. A nod from Persephone and a whispered command for him to go had him scrambling up and trying not to run as he hurried after the retreating god.

 

    “What are you thinking about?” A quiet voice broke Taemin out of his reminiscing and he blinked a few times before noticing that Kali was awake. A light blush crept onto his cheeks when he realized his hand was still tangled in Kali’s hair and he gently pulled it free. 

 

    “That first day we met.” Taemin explained, shrugging lightly and pulling his hand back against his chest so he wouldn’t be tempted to do anymore touching.

 

    “Ah, that’s not your favorite memory, is it?” Kali asked, a soft apologetic smile curving his lips. 

 

    “Not really... you wouldn’t even look at me.” Taemin admitted after a moment of hesitation, he didn’t generally like to think back on that day because it still caused an ache in his chest when he remembered Kali’s blatant disinterest. 

 

    “You are so sensitive.” Kali chuckled, the sound sending shivers down Taemin’s spine even though he probably should have felt insulted by that than he did. He might have, if Ren hadn’t pointed out that particular character flaw enough times already. 

 

    “Okay, just because I couldn’t shoot Bambi, and it upsets me that you hated me, doesn’t mean anything....” Taemin grumbled, trying very hard not to pout and failing when Kali started laughing.

 

    “Bambi? What are you talking about?” Kali asked, the amusement lighting up his intensely dark eyes.

 

    “During training we were sent out hunting, you know to practice our aim, Ren and I came across a deer but I couldn’t kill it.” Taemin explained with a sigh. “But that’s completely off topic and totally irrelevant.” He grumbled, glaring half heartedly at Kali but he couldn’t keep the expression up for long. Kali’s smile was too hard to stay angry at.

 

    “Taemin, your perceptions are still entirely too human.” Kali shook his head lightly and sighed. “I supposed that’s not your fault, you can’t really help it.” 

 

    “What are you talking about?” Taemin frowned, not sure if this was another insult to his masculinity, or if Kali was actually about to explain something to him that he had missed.

 

    “You assume that because I did not look at you at any point during our first meetings that I did not feel anything for you?” Kali guessed, raising an eyebrow and giving Taemin a moment to correct him but moved on when he met only silence. “What makes you think that I cannot shift my focus to something without looking at it?”

 

    Taemin bit his bottom lip but continued to keep silent, because honestly that thought had never once occurred to him.

 

    “Exactly. Taemin, your memory of that day and mine are very different. I was very aware of you the entire time, I just didn’t show it outwardly.” Kali explained gently, reaching up and running his fingers through Taemin’s shorter brown hair. “Why does it both you so much?” He asked quietly, his eyes searching Taemin’s.

 

    “I...I don’t know.” Taemin murmured softly, “Maybe because I wanted what Ren had...I wanted a soul mate too.”

 

    Kali chuckled and breathed out a heavy sigh, “A soul mate?”

 

    “Yes.” Taemin answered a bit defensively. “Why? Is that ‘too human’?”

 

    “No, not at all...” Kali assured him quickly, shaking his head. “Taemin, let me explain something important to you.” He started, sitting up slowly and looking down at where Taemin remained laying. “There are two types of soul mates. Some people are destined for each other no matter what choices they make in life or what happens to them. Regardless of what goes on between point A and point B they will always end up together. And then there are soul mates who are only together because the exact right events happened and the exact right choices were made. Things had to happen in a very specific way for them to even meet, every tiny decision they made was critical in leading them to that one person. It was a one in a million chance, Taemin.” 

 

    “So... which one are we?” Taemin asked softly, raising his eyes to meet Kali’s as he slowly sat up as well. 

 

    “Which one do you think?” Kali whispered, gently cupping Taemin’s cheek and leaning closer to press their lips softly together, letting the passion burn slowly between them.

 

    “I think I saved up all my luck for this one in a million chance.” Taemin admitted, a soft smile curving his lips. He could believe in soul mates with Kali, just like he believed it for Ren and Abaddon. 

 

    Maybe they had a love at first sight encounter, maybe they didn’t, but either way fate lead them here and Taemin was happy with that. Memories, fantasies, truth, whatever he was searching for in the darkened corridors of his mind could wait just a little bit longer. He was in no rush and it was still early, he could indulge himself this morning.


End file.
